Ore-treating apparatus



Sept. 2, 1930. o. WALTON ORE TREATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1927 gwuzntoz Patented Sept. 2, 1930 PATENT OFFICE I OSCAR I. WALTON, OF BOULDER, COLORADO can-TREATING APPARATUS Application filed November 21, 1927. Serial No. 234,681.

This invention relates to a device for recovering free gold by the amalgamation process and has for its principal object the provision of a simple mechanism which will have high capacity and high eficie'ncy.

Another object of the invention is to provide an amalgamation device, the capacity of which can be readily regulated according to the supply of metal bearing ore.

While the device is particularly applicable for the recovering of free gold it will also be found applicable for the recovering of many other metals which can be recovered by the amalgamation or gravity processes.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy,

and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

The drawing illustrates a side elevationof my improved device partly broken away to illustrate the interior construction.

In the drawing the discharge extremity of any of the usual type of ball mills is illustrated at 10 with its discharge trunnion at 11. The invention comprises a rotating bowl 12 carrying an external ring gear 13, by means of which it is rotated through the medium of a driving pinion 14. The bowl 12 is mounted somewhat similarly to the ordinary rotating concrete mixing bowl, so that it may be tilted to any desired angle or inverted for the discharge of the contents. The bowl isv supported on any suitable supporting frame 15.

Water is supplied to the bowl through a pressure water pipe 16 controlled by means of a valve 17. The pipe 16 terminates in a flexible extremity 18, of hose or similar material, which terminates in an adjustable nozzle 19. r The material to be treated is conveyed from the discharge trunnion 11 through a detachable chute 20. The solution is drawn from the bowl by means of a siphon 21 having a graduated extremity 22 which depends within the bowl. The height of the siphon is adjustable and as illustrated it is supported in a clamp 23 which may be loosened to raise or lower the siphon as desired.

' In the bottom of the bowl I place a relatively large quantity of mercury 24 and a series of heavy iron balls 25, similar to the balls at present used in ball mills. In operation the mineral bearing sands are ground in the ball mill to approximately mesh and are fed into the bowl 12 from the chute 20 directly into the whirling mercury 24.

The bowl revolves at an angle to the verti cal causing the balls and mercury to travel and splash in an eccentric course. The balls act to pound the sand particles into the mercury where the metal values will become dissolved and the sand released to the surface.

A comparatively violent stream of water is directed into the bowl from the nozzle 19. This stream is sufficient to cause the sand to rise in the suspension but is not sufiicient to raise the gold or mineral articles. The sand in the solution passes-rapidly from the bowl with the water through the siphon 21. Should the operator find metal particles pass ing through the siphon it can be raised so as .to withdraw a higher stratum in the suspenvelocity and can also be regulated by the valve 17, so that the incoming water will be equal to the capacity of the siphon 21. To increase the capacity of the machine it is only necessary to increase the flow of water and the capacity of the siphon 21. Increasing the speed of rotation of the bowl would also act to increase the capacity.

It is desired to call attention to the fact that owing to the relatively large volume of mercury, flouring is avoided, the mercury staying in a solid compact body. The balls in pounding and rolling on the sand act to brighten the metal surfaces, thus facilitating the amalgamation. After any desired length of run has been completed the chute 20 is removed, the hose 18 taken from the bowl and the siphon raised. The bowl is then rotated so as to discharge its contents. The mercury is then retorted by any of the usual processes to obtain the contained metal.

The chute 20 as illustrated is provided with a hook member 26 which retains it in place under the trunnion 11, so that it may be quickly detached for inversion of the bowl 22. The inverted position of the bowl is indicated in broken line on the drawlng.

lVith the use of this device no classifiers, screens, deslimers or other equipment are necessary. The entire product direct from the ball mill or other grinding equipment is delivered to the device without intermediate handling.

A plug 27 is provided in the bowl 521, so that the amalgam may be drained from the bowl without it being necessary to invert and remove the sand from the bowl. A screen 28 is employed immediately above the plug 2? which is of a mesh suiiiciently small to allow the amalgam to flow through and retain the sand. By this arrangement it is unnecessary to clean the bowl or wash the sand from the amalgam, since the amalgam can be directly withdrawn if desired.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire secured by Letters Patent is An ore treating apparatus comprising: the combination of a bowl having an open mouth and being otherwise entirely closed; means for rotatably supporting said bowl with its axis at an angle to the perpendicular; a water conduit adapted to extend through said open mouth and discharge a stream of water against the bottom of said bowl; a siphon arranged to withdraw water from said bowl through said open mouth; metallic balls contained within said bowl; mercury contained within said bowl; and means for feeding the ore to be treated to said bowl through said open mouth.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature.

OSCAR L. WALTON. 

